


Six Months...

by virginiaclemmpoe



Category: Infinity Train (Cartoon)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Kissing, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Lake, Other, accidental exhibitionism i guess lol, also some ocs i made up, awkward teens talking about sex, but i can't help it, i'm upset lake doesn't come up when i search for their character tag, jesse has jerks for teammates, nate has bad timing, so much fluff even I'm a tiny bit grossed out, they deserve a character tag, they're a bit older though, they're a person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25277230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virginiaclemmpoe/pseuds/virginiaclemmpoe
Summary: Jesse and Lake have known one another for years, but have only been dating for about six months. They're both happy and comfortable in their relationship, but the next step still looms over the horizon for them both as they age- intimacy. Unsure of how to bring it up, the couple stumbles around one another until a blunder brings that aspect of their relationship to light. So, Jesse and Lake have a talk- well, THE talk.
Relationships: Jesse Cosay/Lake, Jesse/Lake, Lake/Jesse Cosay
Comments: 10
Kudos: 53





	Six Months...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! Welcome to ten pages of how badly I needed some JessLake fic in my life. Omg guys please write more, we need more stories of this adorable couple! Contains nonbinary Lake, awkward teenage shenanigans, SO MUCH HUGGING AND SNUGGLING, I just needed JessLake so bad. I was tempted to do a follow up to this, but it probably won't happen because chronic health issues make it hard to write in the first place, this was a long and sometimes difficult process for me DX but regardless, I really hope you guys enjoy this! Please leave me a comment and lmk what you think!

Lake had always had trouble focusing in class. Even when they had been a reflection and it didn’t matter if they paid attention or not, they found it almost impossible to focus. They supposed it was just in their nature- they loved wide open spaces, exploring the world for themselves, discovering things on their own. Basically, everything that didn’t involve being trapped inside for eight hours a day and being told what to do by various teachers while they studied a curriculum someone else had chosen for them. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t really how they wanted to spend their time. There was a whole world outside of the train Lake still hadn’t seen, and they looked forward to the day they’d graduate and were free to travel to see it for themselves. Until then, though, they were stuck here. Which was part of why it was such a big relief to hear the final bell go off. Finally!

“Remember to do the reading for…” their teacher's voice faded behind them on their way out the door and to their locker, where they grabbed the books they’d need for that night- wait, no, it was Friday, so they’d have to pack for the weekend. So their math assignments, history readings- oh, and they had some lab reports to do…

“Hey!” Suddenly, Jesse came up from behind and hugged them around the middle, prompting Lake to start a bit in his arms. “Oh- sorry, sorry, I should have warned you.” He gave them an apologetic kiss on the cheek. Lake giggled as they shut their locker.

“S’fine, Jess, I was just making sure I had everything.” They turned around to hug him properly. “How’d your presentation go last period?” They nodded toward the hallway that led to the pool, indicating to Jesse that they’d walk him to practice. Jesse seemed to understand and smiled at them as they both headed towards the pool.

“Great! Thanks for helping me practice. I was freaking out so bad when the teacher decided we couldn’t use flash cards- who decides that three days before a presentation, anyway?” He asked, a little exasperated and more than a little relieved the ordeal was over.

“Wow, I’m glad I’m not in your class.” Lake would definitely not get along with a teacher like that.

“What?” Jesse pouted. “You wound me, dearest! I know I certainly wouldn’t object to sharing more of my day with my lovely partner.” He faked a sad sigh. “I’m so forlorn to know you don’t feel the same.” Lake snorted as they arrived near the locker room, laughing at Jesse’s frankly adorable pout. They stopped a little down the hall from the locker room to give themselves a tiny bit of privacy.

“Don’t pout, Casanova.” Lake leaned up on their toes for a kiss, smiling against his lips when Jesse pulled them into an embrace, one hand falling to their waist as the other stroked their hair. Lake had grown it out since the train before shaping it into an undercut. The top of their hair reached just about to their ears, the back and sides buzzed as it had been when they’d first met Jesse. He still seemed fascinated with it, which Lake couldn’t help but feel flattered by. “It’s teachers I don’t like. If I could spend my whole day with you, I would- though I’d much rather spend time outside of school.” 

“I know, Lake, I was just kidding.” Jesse pressed a kiss to the tip of their nose, then their cheek. “I just….get kinda lonely for you?” He blushed a little, glancing away from Lake shyly. They found this rather adorable as well, and returned the kisses- one to Jesse’s cheek, then the tip of his nose. 

“I know what you mean,” they admitted, glancing away themselves when Jesse’s gaze shifted back up to regard them. “I feel a little lonely for you too, sometimes, or I wish you were there so I could tell you something, or um, or I’m thinking about you….” They could feel how hot their blush was and they kept their gaze. Lake was sure plenty of guys would have gotten a big head about that last statement, but they also knew Jesse was different. “But, I don’t always worry about that. It sucks when it happens, but….” their hands played with his hair as they spoke, trying to focus a little on something else so they didn’t have to think about how hard their heart was beating. “But I always know we’re gonna find our way back to each other, so, you know….I don’t really worry about it.” Finished, they finally shifted their vision to regard Jesse.  
His cheeks were flushed, his eyes wide with a sort of wonder and seeming to sparkle with happiness. He was smiling widely and he brought both of his hands up to cradle Lake’s cheeks, drawing them in for a kiss. 

“Lake….” he said their name like a prayer- though it seemed he was having trouble not smiling. “I, you’re, I just….” he couldn’t string a sentence together but he didn’t need to- they knew he was happy from the way he gave an occasional little bounce. He kissed them quickly again before glancing at the clock, figuring most of the team were getting dressed from the volume of chatter he heard and how they only had a couple minutes before they were supposed to be in the pool. He’d have to be quick, but Jesse had decided Lake was worth it as he pressed himself closer and cradled their head, giving them a long, deep kiss. 

Lake was lost in Jesse’s happiness and returned his kiss, connecting their open mouths at one point to brush their tongue against Jesse’s. He gave a little moan, one hand running up and down their back as the other slid into their hair, kissing Lake just how he knew they liked to be kissed. His thumb rubbed affectionately at the nape of their neck as his hand pressed them closer, Lake shivering and intertwining their legs with Jesse’s, leaning against the wall behind them. Jesse leaned with them as their tongues brushed together again and again, lips slotting over one another in a cycle as Jesse kissed them with long, slow rolls of his jaw. He was kissing Lake as comfortably as he did at home- which was definitely a mistake, given what happened next.

“So, if they stocked the little chip cans in the machine again, we wouldn't have to bring little rubber bands and chip clips to freaking swim practice, dude, that’s my poi-WOAH!” Two of Jesse’s teammates rounded the corner, clearly having stocked up from the vending machines down the hall before practice. Jesse recognized the one who’d spoken as Frank.

“Oh, shit!” The shorter of the two, Chaz, was clearly flustered and dropped his snacks- clearly, Jesse and Lake had given them a bit of a show. Lake groaned, covering their flushed face in embarrassment. Jesse released them, putting his hands up for a moment to make it clear that he wasn’t doing anything indecent as he backed up a little, feeling terrible for embarrassing Lake. He didn’t think they’d want to be crowded at the moment though, so he grabbed a bag of cookies that had fallen near his foot and tossed it to his teammate, before giving Lake’s shoulder a little squeeze- an ‘I’m here for you, do you need me’ gesture they’d developed over the course of their relationship. In reply, Lake took his hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“You’re gonna be late if you hang around here much longer.” They pointed out- and they were right, even if they did want to get out of there as quickly as possible. “I’m gonna go home and hang out with Nate, see you tonight.” They almost kissed him on the cheek as was their customary goodbye, but after accidentally giving Jesse’s friends a glimpse into their life as a couple they just didn’t feel comfortable. Jesse understood, though on the inside, he was pouting. He sighed as Lake walked away, heading into the locker room with his teammates. All three of them moved lightning fast to get into the pool, but Jesse couldn’t ignore the feeling of his teammate’s gaze. 

All throughout practice he could tell they were talking about him, he even heard a few snickers from behind his back during practice and on his way to the showers. He couldn’t stop thinking about Lake, either- he knew he wanted to make it up to them, even if this wasn’t his fault. Or, really, he wanted to do something to cheer them up and apologize for at least not being a little more careful. Making out in public spaces kind of tended to be less-than-private, duh, Jesse, he scolded himself. He hadn’t intended to go any further than right where they’d been, but even so, they should have waited until they were somewhere more private. 

He just couldn’t help it, with what they had said. Lake was blunt and honest about their feelings, so it wasn’t like they never said anything nice to him. But even after six months, he wasn’t used to having such insight into their feelings about him. And what they’d said was so sweet, Jesse still felt himself grinning like a goof when he thought about it. He was still just so happy Lake felt the same way about him that he felt about them, even if they’d been dating or a little while. They’d both been circling around ‘I love you’ for about as long as they’d been dating, but neither was ever sure of a good time….maybe today?

“Having a good afternoon, Cosay?” Jesse had been happy to drift through his shower on thoughts of his partner, but apparently it wasn’t to be. He felt himself flush under the water as his two teammates chuckled, the one who’d dropped the snacks having asked him the question. 

“Shut up, Frank.” He rinsed his hair and turned off his shower, heading for his towels and clothes. Chaz was towelling off his hair nearby and straightened up with a malicious grin. 

“Man, you were really going at it though, weren’t you?” He said, coming over to where Jesse was tugging on his jeans. Jesse buttoned his pants before turning to answer, 

“Will you cut it out? You saw me kissing my partner, it’s not a big deal or anything.” He rolled his eyes, but Frank came over from the shower to continue his needling.

“Holy shit, Jesse, you guys weren’t just kissing. That was tongues and hands and moaning- you gave us a full on glimpse into your bedroom, dude!” He laughed. Jesse paused in putting on his shirt. 

“That’s-you-what-we did not!” He insisted, tugging on his shirt so he could get out of there as soon as possible. His face was so hot he was starting to feel a little lightheaded- though that could be the irritation, too. “There’s nothing going on in my bedroom, okay, so can we just forget about this?” He tugged on his jacket and grabbed his backpack, unwilling to have his relationship picked apart by two assholes he didn’t know that well.

“You’re fucking with us, dude, no way!” Chaz looked astonished. “Lake lives in your house, and you guys have been together for like, twelve years or whatever-”

“We’ve been together for six months, so shut up.” Jesse was done with the conversation and walked out, ignoring the calls of the jerks behind him and heading out to his car.

JLJLJLJLJL

The drive home was frustrating- focusing on the road as well as pondering his relationship was a bit tricky, but he had a bit of breathing room when he swung by a little jewelry store in town. Six months was a milestone for a relationship, and even if they’d commemorated it with an awesome date to the amusement park, he still felt like getting Lake another gift, something they could carry with them all the time (that wasn’t all of the clothes of Jesse’s they’d hijacked over the years). The idea had been knocking around in his head for a while and he needed to cheer Lake up anyway, so he figured this was just good timing. 

He poked around for a bit before finding something he thought suited them- a simple but beautiful moonstone pendant on a silver chain. Good thing he’d saved up from his babysitting gigs, he thought as he surrendered two twenties to the cashier. He felt a little nervous, hoping he’d picked out the right thing- he’d tried to avoid anything gaudy or anything too intricate, and he knew Lake wouldn’t want him spending that much money on them, either. But he still had no way of knowing, and his irritation from earlier seemed to amplify Jesse’s anxiety. 

It wasn’t like he’d never considered sex with Lake. Lake was his partner and had confirmed to him that they weren’t asexual when they’d discussed the topic for the first time. “Yeah, I understand what you mean. Definitely can’t relate, though.” They’d let it slip and changed the subject afterwards, but that little bit of information had stuck in Jesse’s mind and he’d mulled it over more than once since they’d started dating. But...he hadn’t ever considered it as anything more than hypothetical. 

He and Lake hadn’t been dating for very long, he told himself every time the thought came up. When one of their makeout sessions got a little heated and Jesse ended up with a...predicament, he just dealt with it on his own as quickly and quietly as he could. But now that they’d hit the six month mark….it wasn’t long in the grand scheme of most romantic relationships, but….it very well may be long enough for intimacy, Jesse realized. It wasn’t necessarily a short amount of time to have been dating, and Jesse was in his senior year of high school, with Lake a year behind him. 17 and 18….by most standards, that was a normal time to begin having...relations.

They hadn’t really gone past heated kissing and close snuggling, but Jesse had to admit to himself that he’d thought about crossing that line more and more lately. Would Lake want to cross it with him?

JLJLJLJLJLJLJL

Jesse came home to the scent of chocolate chip cookies filling the house. Lake and Nate were hanging out on the couch in the living room, three plates piled high with freshly baked cookies taking up most of the space on the coffee table as they played a video game. They were both so into it they didn’t notice he was home until he spoke up, 

“Hey guys, I’m home.”

“Hey, Jesse!” Nate greeted enthusiastically.

“Hey…” Lake said a little awkwardly. Usually they asked him how practice had gone, but they weren’t too eager to know after the encounter with Jesse’s teammates.

“You wanna play with us, Jesse? We’re having trouble with this boss.” Nate started rummaging around for another controller before Jesse stopped him.

“Don’t worry about it Nate. Um...thanks, but I’m actually feeling pretty wiped out? I’m gonna head upstairs and rest a bit while I do my homework.” He noticed a worried frown on Nate’s face when he turned them down. He felt bad for not being entirely honest, but he also wasn’t about to explain this to Nate- he’d already felt embarrassed enough for one day. He gave Nate a squeeze on the shoulder and a smile. “How about I play you after dinner?” There, Nate was grinning and nodding, and all was right with the world again. 

“Maybe all three of us could play, since Lake is going with you?” Nate asked. 

“Oh, they are?” Jesse asked, looking to Lake. They nodded and got up to collect a plate of cookies to take up to Jesse’s room.

“Yeah, Lake told Nate that we could hang out until you got home. One of these plates is for your parents, and Nate is taking the other to his sleepover tonight so he’s not going to eat all of them, right?” Lake teased Nate, ruffling his hair. 

“Gah, Lake! Cut it out!” Nate batted their hands away, but he was smiling. “I’m almost in junior high, I think you can trust me around a plate of cookies.” But he knew they were joking. “See you guys at dinner.” And just like that, he had been sucked back into the game.

“See you.” Lake waved before they headed upstairs with Jesse. 

JLJLJLJLJL

“Uuuuuuughgh!” Jesse flopped down on his bed dramatically, Lake giggling as they set the cookies down on Jesse’s desk before joining him on the bed. They sat and patted their lap, letting Jesse know it was all right to lay his head there, something they did whenever he was upset. Scooting over to Lake, Jesse plopped his head in their lap, sighing again. “I’m sorry that those jerks embarrassed you.” He apologized, looking up at them. It was Lake’s turn to sigh now as they started running their fingers through Jesse’s hair, a ritual he absolutely adored and leaned into now, sighing happily this time. 

“It’s okay, Jesse, we just should have been more careful, that’s all.” Lake ran their fingers through his hair. "It was a little awkward and embarrassing, but we just have to make sure it won't happen again. Though... I mean…..we weren’t really doing anything, it was just kissing, and we’re in high school!” They rolled their eyes. “Couples makeout, it happens. Why were they so weird about it?” Lake probably asked Jesse expecting him to help them speculate on the matter, as they were definitely surprised when he responded with an actual concrete answer. 

“Yeah, well, they made some weird assumptions anyway.”

“Really?” Lake looked to meet his gaze, one brow raised. Weird how?” Jesse’s face gradually lit up with a blush as he came up with his reply.

“Uh! Well……” Jesse wasn’t sure what to say. “They thought that we were doing...other things, or that we do those things and they were getting a peek at that. But they were wrong, so…” He looked away, something Lake usually did much more than Jesse. “We don’t have to worry about it.” He was just a bit bashful, approaching the topic for the first time, but Lake wondered if it wasn’t for a different reason.

“Oh…..” Lake’s hands stopped their constant cycle of stroking Jesse’s hair. “Um…..is...that okay?” 

“What?” Jesse’s brow furrowed in confusion as he looked up at Lake. “What do you mean, honey?” Lake couldn’t help but smile at the familiar nickname- it was such a Jesse thing to call them, but they certainly didn’t mind. “Is what okay?”

“I meant...his being wrong. You’re not upset that we haven’t done those things?” They asked, imitating Jesse’s tone.

“Oh my- no, nononono, baby, that’s not it, I promise.” Lake felt a little shiver when he called them that- baby was reserved almost exclusively for when they were alone in one of their rooms or had snagged a private moment on a date somewhere. It was a special term for them, and their heart always felt a thrill when they heard it. Jesse grabbed one of Lake’s hands and pressed kisses to their palm and knuckles. “I’m here for you, Lake, not that other stuff. I’m just upset that any of that happened, I guess.” He sat up to press a kiss to Lake’s lips. “I’m so happy with us, I promise.” Lake smiled, returning the kiss with one of their own.

“Thank you, Jesse, I’m glad, and I’m happy with us too. It….I’m not, um….hm.” They paused for a few moments before finally managing to continue, Jesse holding their hands and rubbing tenderly at their knuckles with his thumbs until they were ready. “If you’d been mad about it, I would have been concerned, because that’s messed up. But I’m not upset if that’s like…..something you’ve been, um….wanting. If you’re frustrated about it, that wouldn’t upset me.” 

“.....Oh.” Jesse answered slowly, still processing. It seemed his partner had been thinking about this for a little while. “Oh. Are...you frustrated, Lake?” 

“No! I mean….a little? A tiny bit- but I know that’s my fault for not saying anything. It’s not like you’re ever unwilling to talk to me, or give me something I need, I just...wasn’t sure how to approach this, I guess.” 

“Oh.” He mulled that over for a moment. “Is…..that something you need, Lake? Because if it is, you know I’ll find a way to help you.” 

“I…..that wasn't what I meant. And I mean, technically I guess I don’t need this, but…” They looked up to meet Jesse’s gaze head-on, squeezing his hand nervously. “I want it, that, with you. Not everything right away, but…” Jesse tugged Lake into a kiss, stroking the hair at their temples. 

“Okay. That’s fine- I’m glad you told me, and, um, I want that too.” He laid down on the bed, extending an arm to Lake. “Can we talk about it? And also snuggle?” Lake chuckled. 

“Yes, we can talk about it and also snuggle.” They laid down next to Jesse and scooted in close, resting their head on his chest and wrapping an arm around his middle, sighing happily at Jesse’s close proximity, familiar warmth and sweet scent. “Um…..what about it do you want to talk about?” They glanced up at Jesse, who was looking up at the ceiling as he thought, his fingers carding through Lake’s hair as he did. 

“I just wanna make sure we’re both clear on everything.” he said. “Makes things a bit easier for us, usually.” He offered Lake a reassuring smile, which quickly shifted to something a little more awkward. “So, um, first thing I want to be clear about: we’re both ready for a bit more intimacy, maybe using our hands or, like, o-oral sex, but we’re not ready to go all the way.” That was definitely out of Jesse’s wheelhouse for the moment. And, he wanted to know Lake’s body well by that point so he could make it good for them, anyway. Luckily for Jesse, Lake nodded in reply, their face burning with a blush.

“Yeah.” Their hands began wandering up and down Jesse’s back. He sat up for a moment to discard his jacket before snuggling up with Lake again, giving them a bit more ground to cover. Lake rubbed their fingers in little circles over the fabric of Jesse’s shirt, increasing the pressure a bit to massage him a little. “I really wanna be closer to you, Jesse, and I’ve wanted it for a little while now. I want to…” they stopped, embarrassed, until Jesse surprised them by leaning forward and pressing his lips to Lake’s. He pulled them as close as he could, pressing a few small, gentle kisses to their jaw and cheeks. 

“Lake, I promise I’m not gonna laugh at you, okay? Not at anything you say, I promise.” He kissed them again, “Please, tell me what you want?” That reassurance had Lake feeling a bit more like themselves and they agree, emboldened. 

“I want.... to make you feel good.” They reached up to trace their fingers along Jesse’s collarbone, their eyes going half-lidded and sultry. “I want to touch you everywhere, and have you touch me everywhere. I want to have that part of you, the part that stays behind bedroom doors, and I want to give that part of me to you.” They admitted. Jesse shivered as Lake’s hands smoothed over the plain of his chest, feeling the muscles there, 

“Me too, I want all of that too.” He agreed. “I just, wow, baby, you’re so-” he’d never really complimented Lake like this, and he hoped desperately wouldn’t flub the moment and have it all come out wrong. “You’re so sexy, Lake, I’m so lucky.” He smiled shyly. 

“Really?” Lake blinked, “I...never thought of myself that way.” Their hands paused in their exploration, resting over Jesse’s heart, before Jesse took them in his own to press kisses to Lake’s fingers. 

“Yes, Lake, really.” Jesse encouraged, giving their hands an affectionate squeeze. “I love the way you kiss me, t-touch me, I can never get enough of it. I can never get enough of being close to you at all, really. You’re beautiful and so strong, confident the way you take charge of things sometimes. And when you let me take charge, you’re so….” He struggled to find the right word. “I-I don’t know what the right word is, but I guess the closest would be, um, precious? I just want to take care of you, be close to you…” He released one of their hands to pet their hair again, rubbing his thumb affectionately against the silvery strands. “I want you, Lake, I do.” He pulled them in for a kiss, and realized when they broke away that that was the moment. It didn’t have to be a spectacle, it didn’t need to come off of the heels of a big speech, it just needed to feel right- and it did. He was being honest with them, so why not be as honest as possible? Taking a deep breath, Jesse admitted, “I love you, Lake.” Lake gasped.

“Jesse!” Lake was tearing up a bit, but they were smiling as well as they pressed another kiss to his lips. “I love you too, so much...my sweet, wonderful brave dork who came back for me, my Jesse. I love you, you big nerd.” Jesse chuckled, laughter shifting to a couple of emotional tears. They kissed over and over again, nuzzling his cheeks against Lake’s when he could to give himself a little break for air. They kissed for a long time, giggling and sighing and rubbing their noses against one another’s, their sighs and groans of contentment mingling together in the otherwise empty room. That eventually gave way to open mouths and tongues, an entirely different variety of sighs resonating throughout Jesse’s room as his hands wandered over Lake’s back, and theirs did the same to his.

“You know what?” He asked when they were done, panting a bit. They were lying nose-to-nose, arms tightly wrapped around one another.

“What?” Lake asked with a little smile, their face flush with happiness.

“I’m actually kind of glad we were interrupted earlier. I mean, if this is the result, I’m definitely not complaining.” He smiled against Lake’s lips as he kissed them again. “I’ve been dying to tell you that I love you for months.” Lake hummed, nodding,

“Me too, Jesse, I’ve loved you for a long time.” They settled their head over his heart, listening to his heartbeat. “Since that first sunset when I arrived here, I think, though it’s hard to pinpoint the precise moment.” 

“I know I can’t.” Jesse rested his chin on top of Lake’s head. It wasn’t necessary, with the pillows behind him, he just liked doing it. “But I do know that I’m going to love you for a very long time to come.” he said happily. Lake replied with a happy chuckle, giving Jesse a little squeeze. 

“How can I resist, when you say such sweet things?” Lake gave Jesse a little nuzzle as well, before growing quiet for a few moments. “So, um...while we’re being clear about things...do you think, maybe next week, Friday, when your parents are out with their friends and Nate’s at that sleepover...that could be a good opportunity to….” They weren’t sure what to say that didn’t sound silly or vulgar. Jesse knew what they meant, though.

“Yeah, I think that’d be a good place to start. Though, um...would it be okay if we touched each other a little more until then? Not below the belt or anything, I’m not suggesting that, but just…’ He trailed off, unsure how to clarify what he meant. Lake had him covered, releasing Jesse to slip their hands under his shirt and touch his bare skin. Jesse let out a little yelp before he moaned, leaning into Lake’s touch. 

“Is this what you meant?” Lake asked. Jesse nodded, 

“This is absolutely what I meant. How are you so good at reading my mind?” he asked, shivering from Lake’s wandering hands tracing the lines of his muscles. 

“Practice?” Lake shrugged. “Or, maybe I’m just really good at guessing. Take your pick.” They paused when their fingers reached the hem of Jesse’s shirt, and looked up at him, raised brows asking for permission to venture further. Jesse nodded, shivering when Lake’s cool fingers glided over his bare skin. “Sorry if my fingers are cold…” Jesse’s skin was so warm and soft, softer than they’d anticipated. He was really hiding some muscles under that shirt, too- something Lake had gotten to enjoy at many a swim meet. 

“No, baby, it’s great, it feels really nice.” Jesse smiled at them, reaching down to run his fingers through their hair. “That was a ‘this is good’ shiver, not an ‘I’m cold,’ shiver.” He clarified, caressing the shell of their ear with his thumb.

“Mm, I’ll have to learn the difference.” Lake smiled, their fingers wandering up to the valley between Jesse’s pecs, rubbing little affectionate circles into the skin as Jesse played with their hair. He was in heaven as Lake’s fingers wandered over his midsection. He’d never thought that just having his stomach and chest touched would feel so good, but he also suspected that might have something to do with Lake being the one doing the touching. As their hands glided down his sides he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a mental snapshot of the moment. 

“Mn, I suppose you’d have to do some research into that, then.” Jesse hoped he came off as flirty and silly, not awkward and creepy. “I’m happy to help you with that anytime, you know.” He felt almost relieved to be talking to them this way, finally acknowledging feelings they’d both pushed to the side. Lake pretended to consider his offer, tapping a finger to their chin. Their other hand was still under Jesse’s shirt, Lake using their fingers to trace little hearts over the warm skin.

“Hmmmm….well, I suppose I can make some time for you, in my schedule. I have a little bit of time right now, you know, no other appointments.” Their hand slid up, resting over Jesse’s heart. “Though, I do think that this might be in the way…” they tugged on Jesse’s shirt. Jesse’s eyes widened a bit, before his expression shifted to something more comfortable, confident- he was with Lake, after all. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. He took Lake’s hands in his as he sat up, guiding them to the hem of his shirt.

“I think you might be right, baby…” Jesse’s voice sounded lower, almost a bit like a whisper- something about it sent a shiver up Lake’s spine as they tugged Jesse’s shirt up-

“Hey, lovebirds, dinner in ten!” Nate knocked loudly on the door, startling both of them. Lake dropped Jesse’s shirt, a bit exasperated. They knew Nate couldn’t help having horrible timing, though.

“We’ll be right there, Nate!” Lake called. “Thanks.” moments later, they heard him heading down the stairs. They looked to Jesse, feeling defeated and a touch embarrassed again.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Jesse pressed a peck to Lake’s lips before wrapping them up in a hug. “I know, it’s frustrating, but there’s always more time. And we have Friday coming up, so…” 

“Yeah.” Lake returned Jesse’s hug before getting up off the bed, offering Jesse a hand to ‘help’ him down, really just an excuse to touch him more. “We have Friday.” They’d have to figure out how to make it special- maybe a gift for Jesse? Or...something...special to wear? Nope, not thinking about lingerie right now- how would they even know where to start, anyway? 

“....Hey, baby?” Jesse’s voice sounded rather shy as he rooted through his backpack. “I almost forgot- I picked something up for you, earlier.” Maybe he should have saved it for Friday, he thought, but they’d had a bad day and Lake deserved to be spoiled. 

“What?” Lake smiled as he approached, hands behind his back. “Jesse, you didn’t have to…” Really, his thoughtfulness never ceased to amaze them.

“I wanted to.” He handed them a small, dove grey velvet box, Lake gasping loudly when they beheld the moonstone inside, taking the necklace out and holding it tightly as they surveyed the stone.

“Jesse!” They embraced him, kissing him again and again. “Jesse, you….” they were a touch overwhelmed, but in the best way. They kissed him absentmindedly, thoughts chugging forward on a new train of thought. What had they done to deserve a boy who loved them so damn much, who cared so well for them? When they were trapped in the mirror they never even dreamed they might be in a position to receive presents, only to imitate those who did, to reflect. But this was theirs. They’d fought tooth and nail for it, him, them, and every horror had been worth it. 

“Baby?” Jesse nuzzled Lake’s cheek. “Are you okay? You spaced out for a sec there,” he caressed Lake’s cheek. They chuckled, turning their head to kiss Jesse’s palm.

“It’s just...in moments like this, I actually think about Mace. All those things he said I wouldn’t have….I can have all of them now, I can live my life the way I want to...I just never want to forget how much of a gift that is.” They kissed him again, “How much of a gift you are, for giving me... this.” ‘This’ wasn’t just the necklace. It was the morning and goodnight kisses, the sweet confessions and tender caresses. It was every bit of validation and kindness and encouragement Jesse had ever given them, something they knew they could never truly pay back.

“Lake, you don’t have to thank me...baby, I love you.” Jesse leaned his forehead against theirs. “I don’t think I could have done things any differently. You don’t realize it, Lake, because everyone has been telling you differently, but you’re amazing. You’re strong and loyal and brave and beautiful, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. You matter, Lake, and people are going to do whatever they can for you because they care about you. Remember that.” He assured as he fastened Lake’s necklace for them. Lake nodded, sniffling a tad.

“I’ll do my best.” They hugged him tightly. “These last six months have definitely helped.” They pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth before Jesse opened the door for them with an elaborate bow, drawing a tiny chuckle from Lake.

“To six more months, my darling.” Jesse declared in a dramatic, Shakespearean-esque tone. Joining in on his game, Lake offered Jesse their arm.

“To six more months- onward, to dinner!”


End file.
